Hello, Stone-Bow readers! It may seem from my sluggish review pace that I’ve not been reading lately. Not so! Here’s what I’ve been reading lately, or rather trying to read:

Psyche In A Dress, Francesca Lia Block: I finished this book and loved it, but for some reason my brain won’t weave a complete review. In brief, it’s a collection of poems, it takes place in LA, it’s chock-full of Greek mythological figures, and it’s shiny. I liked it a lot; Block’s style inspires me, and if I ever finish a book, her influence on it will be evident. On the frustrating side, maybe it was just me, but I found it hard to keep the narrators and their storylines clear. Even so, I wish there were more books like this one, with its beautiful language, quick reading pace, and familiar stories recast in modern times. Delicious.

The Game, Diana Wynne Jones: Neil Gaiman had a lot of great stuff to say about this book. I generally dig Neil Gaiman, and I lurved Wynne Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle. However, I couldn’t get into it, and finished maybe 50 pages before deciding that this moment in life and this book are not meant to go together. I’m not sure why. The writing is good, the main character’s family is entertaining and chaotic, and there’s the promise of magic lurking in between the lines. It just didn’t add up to something I couldn’t put down, or indeed bring myself to pick up, so I will try again later.

The Alchemyst, Michael Scott: I want so much to like this story. Explosions, surprising discoveries, secret identities revealed, the stink of magic in the air: it should be great, no? But the writing kept irritating me to the point that I couldn’t keep reading. It had Dan Brown Syndrome, in which narrative sentences end with unnecessary exclamation marks! It gets annoying! Dang! Maybe I’ll try again when my litsnob dial isn’t cranked to 11.

Currently in the reading pile: M. Alice LeGrow’s Bizenghast 6 (insert infinite squees here) and Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man(good for my temporarily heightened litsnob sensibilities). I’m also savoring Tessa Rumsey’s The Return Message because I don’t want it to be over.

Alright, I think that’s it for now. Have a safe and happy Saint Patrick’s Day, all!